US1853428A - Latch mechanism for cabinet doors - Google Patents

Description

April 12, 1932. .1. G. JACKSON LATCH MECHANISM FOR CABINET DOORS Filed Jan. 13. 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet l .l w h INVENTOR S1752? 6. Jim/(sax ATTORNEYS April 12, 1932.

J G. JACKSON 1,853,428

LATCH MECHANISM FOR CABINET DOORS Filed Jan. 13, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 E INVENTOR k I 1/5/17? 6" U'ac/(saz BY i 7 I #\T'1'RNE6 April 12, 1932. J. 5. JACKSON 1,353,428,

LATCH MECHANISM FOR CABINET DOORS INVENTOR ATTORNEYIS Patented Apr. 12, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN G. JACKSON, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, .ASSIGNOR TO SQUARE D COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN LATCH MECHANISM FOR CABINET DOORS Application filed January 13, 1930. Serial No. 420,552.

' mechanism for cabinet doors and consists of certain novel features of construction,-

combinations and arrangements of parts that will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cabinet showing parts broken away and having latch mechanism embodying my invention;'

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view through the cabinet;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary elevation of the cabinet;

Figure 4. is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view through the cabinet, showing different-portions of the latch bolts and operating handles;

Figure is a sectionalview taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a detail perspective view of one of the switch blade blocks and showing the latch receiving grooves therein.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 is a cabinet corresponding to the switching fuse cabinet set forth in a. companion application Serial No. 420,553, and having a series of compartments 2 arranged in pairs, and doors 3 hingedly connected to the outer walls 1 of the compartments and adapted to seat upon the insulator blocks 5 upon opposite sides of the intermediate centrally disposed aligned strips 6 and 7 respectively of the cabinet. 8 are latch bolts, 9 are striker plates for the bolts, 10 are operating handles for the bolts and doors, 11 are supporting brackets for the handles and bolts, 12 are latches for holding the handles 10 in planes substantially at right angles and substantially parallel respectively to the doors, 13 is a reciprocating locking bar for the latch bolts, 14 is a rotary cam for actuating the bar, and 15 is a key-controlled operating handle for the cam. As shown, the latch bolts 8 are arranged in pairs, one pair to each door, and are engageable with the striker plates}? to retain the. doors in closed ato position. Preferably these bolts 8 have substantially L-shaped shanks 16 pivoted upon parallel side portions 17 of the brackets, and the bases 18 of the latter are rigidly secured to the inner sides of the doors 3. The striker plates 9 are secured to the lower faces of the strips 6 and 7 at spaced points thereof, and have rounded longitudinal edges 19 and 20 respectively. The operating handles 10 are sleeved upon bolts 21 terminally secured to the parallel shanks 16 of the latch bolts at the outer ends thereof. The latches 12 comprise narrow strips of metal pivoted intermediate their ends to the bolt shanks 16 and have lateral projections 22 at their inner ends alternately engageable with openings 24 and slots 25 in the side portions 17 of the brackets. Preferably a leaf spring 26 between the strips 12 and shanks 16 yieldably retain the projections 22 in operative latching position. Thus with this construction the handles 10 are used to manipulate the doors and to actuate the latch bolts and will be held by the latches 12 in either right angle or parallel planes relative to the doors. As a result the latch bolts 8 will be held in either latched or unlatched position by the latches 12. Moreover, the con struction and arrangement of latch bolts 8 and striker plates 9 are such that the engagement of the latch bolts with the striker plates will complete the closing of the doors if that has not already been accomplished by the mere pushing of the doors to closed position. In fact, the handle 10 and latch bolt 8 is such that the door 3 cannot be closed and an electrical contact between the blades 30 and jaws 31 cannot therefore be efl'ected if the handle shanks 16 are improperly positioned relative to the door when the latter is pushed toward closed position. For example, if the handle shanks 16 are substantially parallel to the door when thelatter is closed, the latch bolts 8 will abut the outer face of the strip 7 As a result the door cannot then be closed and no electi lcal contact between the blades 30 and jaws 31 can be made. However, when the handle shanks 16 are at substantially right angles to the door the latch bolts 8 maybe moved by the handle into engagement with the striker plate 9 to cause the door to" be cammed to fully closed position. In other No. 420,553, have transversely extendintg words, the engagement of the latch bolts 8 with the cam-like striker plates 9 may be used to cause the door to be moved to fully closed position so" that the blades will be forced between the jaws to establish a positive and eflicient electrical connection therebetween. It will also be apparent that the door 3 when partially closed may be cammed to fully closed position by the engagement of the latch bolts 8 with the striker plates 9 in the manner just described. Moreover, upon the final closing of the doors in this manner the pressure between the switch blades and jaws will be increased as the doors are cammed to fully closed position; Hence a very-positive contact is effected between the parts.- As pointed out, this mechanism is primarily intended for use with switching fuse cabinets such as that set forth in companion case Serial No. 420,553, and as the switch blades 30 are carried by the doors 3, the closing of the doors by the engagement ofthe latch bolts 8 with the striker plates 9 will also insure proper engagement of the blades 30 with the switch jaws 31 within the cabinet. Moreover, such constructions in combination with the latches 12 are explosion proof and the handles .10 will be held against collapsing when in planes at right angles to the doors.

The locking bar 13 is slidable longitudinally in aligned slots 40, 41 and 42 respectively in brackets 43, 44 and 45 projecting inwardly from the strips 6 and 7, and serves as a common locking element for all of the latch bolts 8 on the respective doors. Preferably the bar 13 travels in transversely extending slots 46 in the latch bolts 8 and is provided at spaced points with slots 47 permitting disengagement of the latch bolts 8 therefrom. The cam 14 is rigid with the inner end of a stub shaft 49 ournaled in the strip 6 and is rotatable-in a recess 50 in the bar 13 into engagement with opposite walls 51 and 52 respectively thereof to actuate the bar so that the slots 47 therein will be alternately in and out of alignment with the'lateh bolts 8. A coil spring 53 is sleeved upon the shaft 49 between the strip 6 andcam 14 and serves to take up lost motion and prevent rattling. The handle 15 is rigid with the shaft 49 at the outer end thereof and contains a suitable key-actuated lock 54. Preferably the construction is such that the handle 15, shaft 49, cam 14 and bar 13 may be locked when the slots 47 in the bar 1. In combination, a latch bolt having a shank, an operating handle carried by the shankand adapted to be positioned in a plane parallel or in a plane at substantially right angles to a door, and means carried by the shank and operable to hold the handle in either of the two positions aforesaid.

2. In combination, apivotal latch bolt having a shank, a latch carried by the shank, and

a supporting bracket for the shank having an opening and a recess for alternately receiving the latch aforesaid- 3. In combination,- a latchbolt having a shank, a support therefor, and means associated with the shank and support for yieldably retaining the bolt in different predetermined positions relative to the support.

4. In combination, a bracket a latch bolt having a shank pivoted on the bracket, anoperating handle carried by the shank, and means associated with the shank and bracket for holding the handle against accidental movement when in a predetermined position.

5. In combination, a bracket, a latch bolt having a shank pivoted on the bracket, an operating handle carried by the shank and adapted to be'in a plane parallel with the bracket and in a planeat substantially right angles to the bracket, and means associated with the shank for alternately retaining the handle in the positions aforesaid including a spring actuated member carried by the shank and engageable with the bracket.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOHN G. JACKSON.

are out of alignment with the latch bolts 8 so that the latter and the doors 3 will be held in closed position. Hence with this construction several doors are under lock and key and may be locked simultaneously. It will also be noted that the adjustable switch blade blocks 60, illustrated herein and'specifically described in companion case, Sei'ial s ots 61 in two longitudinal ed es thereof or al- 'ternately receiving the late bolts 8 when the

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